Former news editor says he did not ask PI to hack phones of Harry's friends

Journalist told court he did not commission a private investigator to blag information, hack phones, place listening devices, or track vehicles

Prince Harry arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London last month. File picture: Aaron Chown/PA

A former Mail on Sunday news editor has told the High Court he did not ask a private investigator to hack or tap the phones of Prince Harry's friends.

Paul Henderson, who worked at the paper and the Daily Mail between 1989 and 2005 in various roles, was giving evidence in the trial of claims brought by a group of household names, including Harry, against the publisher of the titles, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

Mr Henderson is said to have been involved in two of the articles in the claim that were allegedly the result of unlawful information-gathering.

Giving evidence on Thursday, the journalist told the court in London that he did not commission a private investigator called Gavin Burrows to blag information, hack phones, place listening devices, or track vehicles.

He also said he did not remember commissioning a private investigator called Steve Whittamore.

In his witness statement, Mr Henderson said: “I did not commission Mr Burrows to obtain itemised phone bills, hack or tap the phones of Prince Harry’s friends, place a hardwire tap on or intercept the voicemails of Guy Pelly’s phone, gather information unlawfully about Chelsy Davy or carry out any blags.” 

The group of people bringing the claims includes Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, Simon Hughes, Doreen Lawrence, Elton John,  and his husband David Furnish.

Mr Henderson also said: “I understand it is alleged that Mr Burrows was asked to target Hugh Grant, Carole Middleton, Elizabeth Hurley, Ken Livingstone, Peter Mandelson, Brian Paddick, and Simon Bates.

“I did not ask him to target these individuals.” He continued: “I never asked Mr Burrows to target Ms Hurley or Mr Grant.

“I did not commission Mr Burrows to hack their phones, landline tap their home phones, place a sticky window mini-microphone on the exterior of Ms Hurley’s home window, bug Mr Grant’s car or undertake flight or other blags to obtain information about Ms Hurley.” 

Mr Henderson further said he did not instruct Mr Burrows to landline tap Elton John or Mr Furnish’s Windsor home.

In written submissions for the trial, David Sherborne, for the claimants, said it would be “proved at trial” that “Mr Henderson commissioned Gavin Burrows, Daniel ‘Detective Danno’ Hanks, Steve Whittamore (JJ Services), and Glenn Mulcaire”.

In cross-examination, Mr Sherborne said to Mr Henderson: “You know perfectly well that you commissioned Mr Whittamore on a number of occasions.” 

Mr Henderson replied: “I do not know perfectly well, I do not remember any of this.” 

In his witness statement for the trial, Mr Whittamore, who was not cross-examined by ANL, claims Mr Henderson features on a contacts list of his of more than 25 journalists.

He said: “I specifically recall that I only updated the contacts list after I had spoken to the individuals concerned, and I kept it continually updated, hence the handwritten notes.

“The contact list is therefore a record of who I spoke to, as I only updated it once I had spoken to an individual.” 

Mr Henderson is due to continue giving evidence on Friday, with the trial before Mr Justice Nicklin due to conclude in March, and a judgment in writing due at a later date.